Turkey

Johan Spanner for The New York Times

Turkey is a secular parliamentary democracy located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia and bordered by eight countries.

One of the largest middle-income partners of the World Bank Group, Turkey has an expanding economy and is continuing to pursue its candidacy for full membership in the European Union, which remains Turkey’s largest economic partner. Joining NATO in 1952, Turkey has also ensured and fostered a close bilateral partnership with the United States.

Under the leadership of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey is an increasingly assertive regional player at a time when several of its neighbors are locked in sometimes violent struggles for democracy. Erdogan’s tenure has faced its own significant challenges, with public demonstrations and civil unrest, beginning in May 2013, that have brought some of the nation’s most unsettling discord in decades.

Keep up to date on breaking news in Turkey and explore our extensive archive below.

Chronology of Coverage

Jul. 30, 2015

Turkish forces increase air offensive against Kurdish militias in six locations in northern Iraq, with government condemning airstrikes as assault on Iraq's sovereignty; battle between Turkish government and Kurdish insurgents of Kurdistan Workers’ Party has been recently rekindled following tenuous two-year ceasefire. MORE

Jul. 29, 2015

Turkish Pres Recep Tayyip Erdogan says peace process with Kurdish militants is impossible, leading some to question whether government is more focused on suppressing Kurds rather than fighting Islamic State. MORE

Jul. 28, 2015

Agreement between United States and Turkey to enhance collaboration in fight against Islamic State group in northern Syria is major step toward battling militant group; carrying out agreement presents numerous complications, particularly in way it deepens US involvement in fight and also marginalizes Syrian Kurdish YPG militias, which Turkey considers enemies. MORE

Jul. 28, 2015

Editorial warns that Turkey's airstrikes against camps of Kurdistan Workers' Party in Iraq could undercut American-led effort to combat Islamic State; notes that offshoot of Kurdish guerrilla group PKK has been instrumental in fighting Islamic State. MORE

Jul. 27, 2015

Turkish air strikes against Kurdish militia targets in Iraq raise fears that two groups will be drawn back into bloody civil conflict; Kurdistan Workers' Party reached cease-fire with Turkey in 2013 that has now been effectively ended. MORE

Jul. 26, 2015

Turkish fighter jets attack camps occupied by militant Kurdistan Workers' Party, ending two-year cease-fire between Turkish government and insurgents; attack comes as Turkey has begun taking direct military action against Islamic State, which it resisted for a year for fear of emboldening Kurdish militias; breakdown of peace talks with Kurds has fueled military action against both groups. MORE

Jul. 25, 2015

Turkey carries out airstrikes on three Islamic State targets in Syria in order to preempt attack by militant group on Turkey; strikes follow Turkey's first military incursion into Syria against group and decision to allow United States military to stage attacks on Islamic State from Turkish bases. MORE

Jul. 24, 2015

Turkey sends troops into combat with Islamic State on Syrian border and agrees to let United States warplanes use its military bases to stage attacks on militant group, ending longstanding reluctance to take aggressive role in conflict; United States officials call Turkey's cooperation vital to assault on Islamic State. MORE

Jul. 23, 2015

Turkish citizen and university student Seyh Abdurrahman Alagoz is identified as suicide bomber who attacked Amara Cultural Center in Suruc, Turkey, killing at least 32 people; had recently returned from Syria and is believed to have Islamic State ties; military group affiliated with Kurdish separatist group retaliates for Suruc bombing by killing two police officers in Ceylanpinar. MORE

Jul. 21, 2015

Suicide bomber strikes cultural center in Suruc, Turkey, near Syrian border, raising concerns that Islamic State is bringing violence from war in Syria to country; at least 30 are killed and more than 100 wounded in blast. MORE

Jul. 15, 2015

Turkey's Constitutional Court overturns law that was set to close thousands of preparatory schools linked to Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen; legislation had been led by Prime Min Recep Tayyup Erdogan, who has long been engaged in power struggle with Gulen, accusing him of attempting to topple Erdogan's administration. MORE

Jul. 11, 2015

Anatolian News Agency reports that Turkish authorities have arrested 21 men suspected of belonging to Islamic State group, including three foreigners; Turkey has been urged by its Western allies to take more active role in fight against Islamic extremists. MORE

Jul. 10, 2015

Turkey’s Pres Recep Tayyip Erdogan gives formal mandate to Prime Min Ahmet Davutoglu to form new government; move comes after criticism that Erdogan has been stalling to hold onto reins of power. MORE

Jul. 9, 2015

Opponents of Turkey’s Pres Recep Tayyip blame him for stalling formation of new coalition government after June 2015 elections,given fact that he has yet to issue formal mandate to leader of any party; critics accuse Tayyip of deliberately stalling in order to keep his party’s grip on power, undermine rivals and push for another election. MORE

Jun. 30, 2015

United States angers longtime ally and NATO member Turkey by increasing military support of Syrian Kurdish militias, which are among most reliable allies in fight against Islamic State; Turkish government, which sees Syrian Kurds as threat because of their ties with Kurdish nationalists in Turkey, reiterates commitment to never allow establishment of Kurdish state. MORE

Jun. 12, 2015

Jun. 11, 2015

Kurds across Middle East celebrate victory of pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party in Turkey's parliamentary election, viewing outcome as step towards Kurdish unification and statehood. MORE

Jun. 9, 2015

Turkish national election results in Parliament without majority party, denying Pres Recep Tayyip Erdogan opportunity to increase his own power; still, results also raise prospect of instability as parties maneuver to form coalitions; Turkish lira and stock market are down. MORE

Jun. 9, 2015

Editorial praises Turkish voters for turning out in large numbers to deliver resounding rebuke to Pres Recep Tayyip Erdogan by denying him parliamentary majority; warns that country cannot afford protracted time of uncertainty and instability, and that even if coalition government is formed its challenges will be immense. MORE

Jun. 8, 2015

Turkish voters surprise Pres Recep Tayyip Erdogan in historic election that rejects his Justice and Development Party, refusing to give it a majority of seats in Parliament and initiating a difficult struggle for the formation of a coalition government; election results dash Erdogan's hopes to rewrite Turkey's Constitution and strengthen his power. MORE

Jun. 6, 2015

Two explosions at Istanbul rally for Kurdish opposition leader Selahattin Demirtas kill two people and wound more than 100 others; blasts come just two days before particularly significant election for country. MORE

Jun. 4, 2015

Turkish voters are preparing to choose a new Parliament, and despite fact that Pres Recep Tayyip Erdogan is not on the ballot, a victory for his Islamist Justice and Development Party would be tacit approval of his plans to expand presidential authority through constitutional changes; opinion polls suggest Erdogan's party will easily win the most seats in Parliament, but it may not be enough to change Constitution outright. MORE

Jun. 3, 2015

Elmadere Journal; widows of men killed in 2014 coal mine disaster in Soma, Turkey, some of whom live in town of Elmadere, say no one has been held accountable for disaster and that they are left to face future alone; anguish and anger among families around explosion and fire that killed 301 men remains high on one-year anniversary. MORE

Jun. 2, 2015

American and Turkish officials come closer to agreement on how to cooperatively clear Islamic State militants from areas of Syria and Iraq along Turkey's southern border. MORE

May. 27, 2015

Thousands of Sephardic Jews in Turkey who are of Spanish descent are applying for Spanish citizenship ahead of law granting nationality to Jews who were expelled during Inquisition in 1492; most are trying to flee what they view as rising anti-Semitism in Turkey. MORE

May. 23, 2015

Editorial warns that Turkish Pres Recep Tayyip Erdogan may be preparing government crackdown in effort to ensure his Justice and Development Party wins in scheduled parliamentary elections; notes attempts by Erdogan to intimidate journalists and turn government institutions against opposition; urges United States and other NATO allies to pressure Erdogan to turn from destructive path that harms Turkey's democracy. MORE

May. 19, 2015

Armenian Church files lawsuit in Turkish court seeking return of ancient headquarters that was seized by Ottoman Empire during Armenian Genocide of 1915-23; sees suit as 'first legal step' toward reclaiming all seized Armenian property. MORE

May. 11, 2015

Turkish Prime Min Ahmet Davutoglu makes secret visit to Syrian tomb of Suleyman Shah, monument revered by Turks; Turkish soldiers moved tomb away from jihadist territory and close to Turkish border in February 2015, drawing criticism from opposition members. MORE

May. 8, 2015

Armenian Foreign Min Edward Nalbandian criticizes Turkey for denying that killings of ethnic Armenians by Ottoman Turks 100 years ago was genocide. MORE

May. 7, 2015

Turkey charges four prosecutors and a police officer with trying to 'topple or incapacitate' government, after arresting them for attempting to search Syria-bound trucks for illegal arms; trucks belonged to state intelligence agency. MORE

May. 5, 2015

Akcakale Journal; Turkish town of Akcakale is doing brisk trade in ammonium nitrate fertilizer with neighboring Syrian town Tel Abyad, which is controlled by Islamic State; Turkey has taken measures to stop flow of foreign fighters but borders remain open to all trade and, although it is widely understood that fertilizer is being used to make bombs, its sale is vital part of local economy. MORE

May. 2, 2015

Hundreds of demonstrators in Istanbul defy ban on May Day rallies and are forcefully dispersed by riot police using tear gas and water canons. MORE

May. 2, 2015

John R Bass, United States ambassador to Turkey, posts humorous photo of himself on Twitter in response to tweets by Ankara Mayor Melih Gokcek that referred to State Dept spokeswoman Marie Harf as 'stupid blonde'; Gokcek had criticized Harf for her silence on use of force by Baltimore police when she had denounced Turkey for crackdown on protesters in 2013. MORE

Apr. 30, 2015

Melih Gokcek, mayor of Turkish capital of Ankara, posts flood of derogatory remarks about State Dept spokeswoman Marie Harf, criticizing her for not speaking out about death of a black man in Baltimore while in police custody; postings appear to be response to Harf's criticism of excessive force used by Turkish police during antigovernment protests in 2013. MORE

Apr. 29, 2015

Armenian Church files lawsuit in Constitutional Court of Turkey, demanding return of its headquarters, which was taken as part of 1915 genocide. MORE

Apr. 25, 2015

Turkey chooses to celebrate centennial of Battle of Gallipoli on same day as Armenian commemoration of 1915 genocide; statement by Pres Recep Tayyip Erdogan is read aloud at Armenian memorial service in Istanbul, where many Armenians stage demonstrations insisting Turkey recognize mass killings and deportations as genocide. MORE

Apr. 25, 2015

Thousands of Armenians attend ceremony in Yerevan, Armenia, on centennial of mass killings and forced deportations of Armenians by Turkey; American delegation refers to ceremony euphemistically as 'Centennial Commemoration of the Events of 1915' because, although most of world agrees acts were genocide, Turkey continues to insist they were not. MORE

Apr. 24, 2015

Turkish government's continuing denial of Armenian genocide is seen as attempt to head off reparation claims by survivors and their descendants. MORE

Apr. 24, 2015

Armenians in Turkey are rediscovering their roots now that country is allowing minorities to identify themselves more freely, but many have remained Muslim instead of converting to Christianity--religion of their ancestors. MORE

Apr. 22, 2015

Pres Obama acknowledges Armenian genocide on its 100th anniversary, but refuses to use word genocide; has avoided using word out of concern about angering Turkey, NATO ally that has long rejected description. MORE

Apr. 19, 2015

Turkish officials arrest Ahmed Debza and Nadia Ataich Fernandez, couple from Melilla, Spain, on suspicion they have ties to Islamic State terrorists. MORE

Apr. 18, 2015

Turkish Prime Min Ahmet Davutoglu condemns European Parliament resolution calling on his country to recognize Armenian genocide of early 20th century, saying it shows signs of racism; push for recognition of genocide has been boosted by upcoming 100th anniversary of events as well as comments by Pope Francis. MORE

Apr. 17, 2015

World prepares to observe 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide, in which some 1.5 million Armenians died at the hands of the Ottoman Empire in 1915; Turkish government has softened its denial of event in later years, but still maintains that atrocity was not committed systematically, contradicting broad consensus among historians; denial remains overwhelmingly common among country's population as well. MORE

Apr. 17, 2015

Editorial faults Turkey for its refusal to recognize genocide carried out against Armenians there during Ottoman empire, event whose 100th anniversary will be commemorated by Armenians worldwide in April; contends Turkey's refusal contradicts mounting body of research and damages Turkey's international standing; urges United States to join Pope Francis in making clear to Turkey that its continued denial will not be tolerated. MORE

Apr. 16, 2015

European Parliament adopts resolution commemorating centennial of Armenian genocide and urges Turkey to acknowledge its role in event; move follows comments by Pope Francis calling event first genocide of 20th century; Turkey, which has ignored similar resolutions in past, vows to reject latest one; Francis' remarks fuel long-term debate. MORE

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